The present invention relates generally to testing and/or manufacturing.
A functional circuit test (FCT) assesses units under test such as printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs). A common testing approach includes placing the unit within a testing apparatus such as a test fixture and connecting testing circuits to the unit by inserting one or more connectors simultaneously into one or more receptacles. The receptacles may be, for example, disposed within a unit-mounted connector receptacle block. A connector holder retains multiple connectors at a proper spacing so that they can be inserted into the receptacles.
For a typical test fixture, the connector holder is rigidly mounted to a plate that moves forward to engage the connectors with the receptacles and enable the functional test. However, if the connector holder moves too far forward (toward the receptacles), the connectors will be pushed too far into the receptacles (over-insertion), possibly causing damage to the receptacles and/or other parts of the unit. Conversely, if the connector holder moves to a position too far from the receptacles, the connectors do not insert fully into the receptacles (under-insertion). In the latter case, the connectors may not function properly, and the functional test may fail. This is especially problematic if the connector holder is configured to move a set distance, as in automated operation. If the set distance is too great or is insufficient, the above problems may occur.